PAC.E TWENTY - KVENING HERALD, Fri., Feb. 23, 1979 Top Court Upholds Coventry Deed Tax Thqt^s Entertainment: Life After Death: MHS Basketball Coach ^Chickenman’ No Chicken Memories Get Salutes Old and New Meanings •Connolly also told the council that he Won Biggest Battle When He's Fighting Back COVENTRY — The State Supreme Page 2 Page 4- Court has upheld municipal officials in the has reviewed at length items regarding Page 7 Page 11 case of David A. McKinney et al. vs Town the bond for deed proposed for purchase of of Coventry et al. Earlier the Superior .Salvation Army property on the southern Court in Tolland had ruled that the end of Coventry Lake, the manager met McKinneys' 234-acre farm on Cedar with Donald Dumont, agent for the Army, Swamp Road was subject to a conveyance to work out the details of the negotiations. tax of $27,450 when in 1972 they sold the The current asking price for about 72 SasT BartforJi property to the Lorco Corporation for acres of land, suitable for recreational $500,000. and conservation uses, is $295,000. The Rainy and Windy In a lengthy opinion, the Supreme Court bond will also include interest payments Highs 45 to 50 judges concurred that state laws and legal and development and maintenance costs precedent established a conveyance tax on connected with the transaction. Once the Datall* on paga 2 land classified as farmland. The plaintiffs council has worked out the details claimed the town tax assessor did not in­ proposal, it will come before a townwide form them of the implications of their referendum. petition for the farmland classification in In other business Connolly reported that Spending Limit lEumun order to obtain a reduced tax rate. state engineers had begun work on the HARTFORD (UPI)-Fulfilling I Vol. XCVIII, No. 123 — Manchester, Conn., Saturday, February 24, 1979 This picture perhaps best reflects the political careers State Convention, Even though both recently resigned The judges noted that the McKinneys realignment of Route 31 near Lisicke »A Family NEWSpaper Since 1881» 20$ Single Copy « 15$ Home Delivered of Thomas and Vivian Ferguson — busy. While he leans ;i campaign promise. Gov. Ella top local political position, they expect to maintain an ac­ did not appeal to the Board of Tax Review Beach. "This is a project that has been Grasso Friday unveiled her long-, to his right to speak to someone, she leans to her left to tive role in Manchester politics. or allege that the tax imposed on them started as a result of a petition with more I awaited proposed constitutional watch the on-stage action at last summer's Republican was improperly calculated. "Consequent­ than 1.000 signatures submitted to the ceiling on government spending — ly. to prevail in this action and obtain state a few years ago, ” he noted. I Ihcn flatly predicted it won't go | reimbursement of the taxes paid, the The land is being cleared this month, he I anywhere this year. plaintiffs must establish the invalidity of explained. It will take about two months Medics Unhappy The governor presented a the assessment in the first place," the to relocate electric and telephone poles J "working draft" of the con-, Republican ‘First Family’ legal brief stated. along the roadway. slitutional amendment at her The land is presently owned by the Construction work is expected to begin j weekly news conference at the Coventry Land Corporation, which is in April. The state has been notified about I Capilol. The plan would limit handling over 1000 acres of real estate on the town's concern regarding sedimenta­ I state spending to the average rise ijWith Fire Duties behalf of the now defunct tion control so as to protect the lake, the in Connecticut’s personal income Plans to Keep Involved Coventry Development Corporation manager added. I over three years. By CIIBIS BLAKE the skill level of paramedics. pramedic. (DevCo). DevCo had bought up large Mrs. Grasso said she recently tracts of land in the northern end of town Oppo.silig Seal Hunt llcruhl llcporlcr “They’re taking trained people- “Some guys are considering get­ B y (; r k (; i m ;\ k ,s ()\ They both recalled the work they did for one Republican of the Year, said, "We see our discussed her plan with key with a high skill level and placing ting out of the program," he said. in the early 1970s in the hopes of BOSTON (UPI) — Television critic and legislative leaders and "the con- EAST HARTFORD - Veteran ll•■rill(l Ri'porlcr of those early candidates — V'ivian's father, political work as an extension of our com- them on a truck (the ladder truck) Johnson said it is “foolish” to send developing a new community to house 20,- environmental activist Cleveland Amory I cept was received less than paramedics are unhappy over a plan Harry Firato, who was running for the Town munity efforts. " that is used the least of all Fire a man to school for specialized M,ANCHESTER — They have been involved 000 residents. The project never is urging American tourists to stay out of I enthusiastically." to rotate the town’s 12 paramedics, Board of Directors. Speaking of their accomplishments thus far materialized. who perform emergency medical Department vehicles,” said Michael training, then fail to utilize his skills in politics for more than a quarter of a century They were told he could not be elected in politics, they seemed most proud of their ef­ Canada until that government bans the an­ Asked if this meant the and for the past few years had been the first Town Manager Frank Connolly briefed "duties, with fire fighters to perform Coppinger, one of the town’s first to the fullest capacity. because he was Italian. forts to increase Republican membership and nual slaughter of baby harp seals. proposed amendment would be family of the local Republican Party. the Town Council on the judgment at a re­ Fire Department duties. paramedics. “I feel it’s a poor utilization of "When we heard that, we said. By golly," the fact that Vivian's service as a director Amory, president of the Fund for Idefeated by this year's Coppinger said the majority of the manpower,” he said of the rotational Now. both Thomas and Vivian Ferguson cent meeting. The decision puts to rest Animals, said the environmental group And, they say Mayor Richard H. Vivian said. Then, the two. along with the help may have made it easier for women to run for Legislature. Mrs. Grasso replied, department’s calls for service are system. have resigned from party leadership positions, one of many suits against Coventry either will be on hand March 10 when the annual Blackstone broke a promise that he of others, started an aggressive campaign that elected offices. I "I would feel very safe making medical calls. "'I don't feel I can keep my but neither expects their political activity to settled or pending in the past few months. seal hunt begins. that prediction." would not rotate the paramedics into cease led to his election. The failure of the Republican Party to fire fighting duties. Last year, about 80 percent of the (emergency medical) skills up if I’m Won't they miss that type of activity and the appeal to a wider variety of persons has been If the governor’s proposal were town’s fire calls for emergency going shifted around,” he said. The phone doesn't stop ringing," Vivian enacted this year, state spending As of March 1, the medics, who said. She resigned Dec. 31 as a member of the other work associated with local politics? mentioned as a national problem. work at Firehouse No. 3 on Burnside medical aid. Medics say they do not plan a job No, Thomas Ferguson said. Commission on Aging I would be allowed to rise about 8 I Town Board of Directors, a position she had "I think Tom accomplished in broadening .Avenue, will be rotated onto a ladder Several medics said the new action When the system is im­ T don't think we ll become that dis­ the party, " Vivian said. percent. The increase in this I held for eight years. At the same time. truck for monthly periods. system will hurt morale, which they plemented next Thursday, But. as associated If you're a former town director "I think 1 made it easier for women fiscal year's budget was 14.4 per­ Thomas resigned from the post he had held for Four men will be rotated onto the say is already low. one veteran medic put it. “I don't and a former town chairman, you're never 'to run," she said. During her service on To Hear CD Speakers cent, but Mrs. Grasso has] “ Morale is very low because feel we have much confidence in the almost three years — Republican town chair­ proposed only a 5.1 percent in- truck each month and the depart­ man. divorced from it." he said. the board, she was a vocal and well-known nobody knows what’s going to happen town. Our morale is pretty low after member. MANCHESTER — The town's Commis­ Community Development. Opponents feel [ crease for the coming fiscal year. ment will maintain a staff of eight They resigned and announced they planned He did say. however, "I think Viv will have to us,” said Sam Johnson, a new what's happened.” sion on Aging will meet Monday and hear the federal government has placed too medics. It requires four medics to to pursue some type of business venture.